We've been struggling with sleep since DS has been a toddler. He's pretty much sleeping all night (well till about 5AM), but our biggest recent struggle (the last 6-7 months) has been bedtime. Taking him an hour or more to get to sleep and needind at least one of us with him the whole time.
Well, I've been using the alarm on my phone for various things recently and DS noticed it the other day. And it was almost bedtime the other night and he said, "alarm go off?" Which gave me an idea. He was wanting to watch a movie, but it was really time to be getting into bed. He was also in a good mood, so I sat down with him and explained that there was either time to watch a part of a movie or time to read a book (a book is my preference, but I also want him going to sleep more quickly... so I gave him the choice). He chose a movie. And I told that I would set my alarm and that when the alarm went off it would be time to lay down in bed and turn the lights off. I also told him that he would need to go to sleep by himself and that mommy and daddy would be in the other room, but that we would come to check on him. He said, "YUP!" to all of the above. So I set my alarm to go off 15 minutes later. I put in the movie. And when the alarm went off he exclaimed, "ALARM!" with a big smile on his face. I asked him what the alarm meant and he said, "go to bed." So I carried him to his room and laid him down. He asked me to lay down to and I reminded him that we had already talked about that and that he was going to go to sleep by himself and that we would check on him in a little bit. He whined a little and asked for some water and his spagetti book (Strega Nona... which we have checked out from the library... its a book on tape). I told him he could listen to it, but that we weren't going to read it. I turned on the tape and said I would bring him some water. Left. Brought the water back. kiss and I love you. And he was quiet. The first night he called for us after Strega Nona stopped. DH went in there and said he would be back in 5 minutes to check on him and lay down if DS was still awake (which DH did 5 minutes later). But the past two nights (tonight was the 3rd night of this routine) We have turned on the tape, brought him water, and haven't heard a peep out him.
He did have an unexpected midnight poopy diaper tonight that woke him up (which is why I'm awake at 2:30 in the morning), but with a bowl of sliced fruit and new cup of water, he went back to sleep all by himself!!!!
I hope we have turned a new leaf!!! The last few evenings have been really nice. I almost don't know what to do with that time!
Well, I've been using the alarm on my phone for various things recently and DS noticed it the other day. And it was almost bedtime the other night and he said, "alarm go off?" Which gave me an idea. He was wanting to watch a movie, but it was really time to be getting into bed. He was also in a good mood, so I sat down with him and explained that there was either time to watch a part of a movie or time to read a book (a book is my preference, but I also want him going to sleep more quickly... so I gave him the choice). He chose a movie. And I told that I would set my alarm and that when the alarm went off it would be time to lay down in bed and turn the lights off. I also told him that he would need to go to sleep by himself and that mommy and daddy would be in the other room, but that we would come to check on him. He said, "YUP!" to all of the above. So I set my alarm to go off 15 minutes later. I put in the movie. And when the alarm went off he exclaimed, "ALARM!" with a big smile on his face. I asked him what the alarm meant and he said, "go to bed." So I carried him to his room and laid him down. He asked me to lay down to and I reminded him that we had already talked about that and that he was going to go to sleep by himself and that we would check on him in a little bit. He whined a little and asked for some water and his spagetti book (Strega Nona... which we have checked out from the library... its a book on tape). I told him he could listen to it, but that we weren't going to read it. I turned on the tape and said I would bring him some water. Left. Brought the water back. kiss and I love you. And he was quiet. The first night he called for us after Strega Nona stopped. DH went in there and said he would be back in 5 minutes to check on him and lay down if DS was still awake (which DH did 5 minutes later). But the past two nights (tonight was the 3rd night of this routine) We have turned on the tape, brought him water, and haven't heard a peep out him.
He did have an unexpected midnight poopy diaper tonight that woke him up (which is why I'm awake at 2:30 in the morning), but with a bowl of sliced fruit and new cup of water, he went back to sleep all by himself!!!!
I hope we have turned a new leaf!!! The last few evenings have been really nice. I almost don't know what to do with that time!
